Brewtopia Events and the
Classic City Brew Fest are operated by Owen Ogletree of Athens, GA.
Owen
is a certified beer judge, beer author, beer traveler, award-winning
homebrewer,
and a founding member of "Georgians for World Class Beer." In
June
of 2001 Owen visited several beer bars and brewpubs in New England by
starting
in Rhode Island, going north along the coast through New Hampshire up
to
Bar Harbor, Maine. He then circled westward and back south
through
the centers of Maine and New Hampshire. Below are some pictures
and
brief notes regarding some beer spots in the order visited -- it's a
big
list so give it time to load all the pictures. Owen always
welcomes
your
e-mail and input.

Trinity Brewhouse180 Fountain St., Providence, RI401-453-2337Impressions:
This is the first place I hit after my plane landed in Rhode
Island.
This brewpub is a little hard to find, as the streets in Providence can
be confusing. Downtown Providence is quite compact and easy to
walk
-- the next brewpub on the list is very close. Trinity is a cool,
funky place with upstairs bar and dining room with a cellar pub with
darts
and pool.Food:
Pizza,
burgers, sandwiches, pub grub.Beer: Trinity
Kolsch (dry and a bit tart with a hint of apple-like off flavor),
Belgian
White (dry, light-bodied, pleasant), Welsh Mild (too many phenols and
off
flavors for me to enjoy), RI IPA (dry-hopped with a nice bitterness),
Copper
(low aroma with a nice malt character), Oatmeal Stout (roasty, but a
bit
light in body).

Union Station Brewing36 Exchange Terrace., Providence,
RI401-274-2739Impressions:
This brewpub is affiliated with the John Harvard chain that originated
in Mass. Union Station is located in a trendy mall area near the
tourist center in the middle of downtown Providence. It has an upscale
brick interior that reminds me of John Harvard's in Cambridge.
The
brew room is very small.Food:
Very
nice menu with steaks, seafood, tapas, etc.Beer: Summer
light (clean, slightly toasty), Copper Lager (Northern Brewer and Saaz
hops with very light malt), Golden Spike Ale (cascade hops and also
light-bodied),
IPA (corn-like, needs more hop character), Gaelic Stout (clean, but too
light in body). Their beers are all very clean, but seemed to be
brewed to please light beer drinkers.

Wickenden Pub320 Wickenden St., Providence, RIImpressions:
Wickenden is a dark, cozy beer bar on an old neighborhood street just a
short walk from Union Station. This is a very casual place with a
nice beer selection.Food:
Chips
and pub snacks.Beer: Go for
something with higher alcohol and flavor like a Belgian Trappist Ale or
a German Dopplebock.

Redhook Microbrewery and
Cataqua Brewpub605 Spaulding Turnpike #26,
Portsmouth, NH603-430-8600Impressions:
This is the brewery where Redhook produces its products for consumption
in the eastern states. The first Redhook brewery was opened in
Seattle
in 1981, and the NH location started in 1996. There are brewery
tours
M-F at 2pm and 3pm and Sat-Sun at noon, 2pm, and 4pm. The
wonderful
brewpub attached to the brewery is named after the Cataqua River and
features
a big gift shop and outdoor patio with some giant beer barrels for
atmosphere.Food:
Burgers,
sandwiches, etc.Beer: Blond
(nice and fruity), ESB (seems a bit lighter than the bottled version),
IPA (good hops), Blackhook Porter (nice roast coffee aroma with a
smooth
flavor), Hefeweizen (a Bavarian wheat beer with lots of Mount Hood and
Willamette hops).

Portsmouth Brewery56 Market St., Portsmouth, NH603-431-1115Impressions:
Started around 1990, this friendly brewpub is found in the middle of a
walkable downtown. I had fun here -- there were nine beers on tap
when I visited. Some of their brews are affiliated with the
Smuttynose
microbrewery. Upstairs has food and is a bit more upscale --
downstairs
is a small bar with pool tables. Head brewer, Sean Navish, is
pictured.Food:
Very
tasty brewpub fare.Beer: Smuttynose
Pale (could use more hops, but nice), Smuttynose Lager (malty and
toffee-like),
Blonde Ale (malty and simple), Maibock (toffee, malty, lots of Munich
malt),
Old Brown Dog (tasty American Brown Ale), Black Cat Stout (rich and
full-bodied),
Barn "Yahd" Pale (malty, but not really hoppy), Weizen (clean and light
in flavor), Barleywine (wonderful English Barleywine with rich, complex
malt and plum flavors -- wow!).

Coat of Arms Pub174 Fleet St., Portsmouth, NH603-431-0407Impressions:
This English pub is just a short walk from the Portsmouth Brewpub
discussed
above. I was pleased to find good cask-conditioned ales here made
by Alan Pugsley of Shipyard brewery in Maine.Food:
English
pub grub.Beer: The owner
seems to take pride in taking good care of the cask ales, and the bar
also
offers other nice draft and bottled beer selections (including McEwan's
Scotch Ale).

Federal Jack's/Shipyard Brewpub8 Western Ave., Kennebunk, ME207-967-4311Impressions:
I was pleased to find this pleasant brewpub tucked away over a gift
shop
and coffee shop on a tiny pier in Kennebunk. The brewery is
located
downstairs.Food:
Superb
local seafood and lobster along with burgers, salads, pasta, etc.Beer: Shipyard
Export Ale (styled after a light Canadian Ale), Pale Ale (British style
-- light in flavor with nice bitterness), Brown Ale (very clean with a
light maltiness), Old Thumper (Extra Special Ale that is mild and
fruity),
Fuggles IPA (low hop aroma -- needs more malt and hops to be a real
IPA),
Bluefin Stout (great dry Irish Stout with a hint of coffee
flavor).
Seasonal beers are also offered.

Gritty McDuff's Brewpub396 Fore St., Portland, ME207-772-2739Impressions:
Maine's original brewpub is a rustic, Bohemian place in the touristy
part
of town surrounded by shops. Gritty's has a popular mug club (see
photo) and seven beers on the evening I visited.Food:
Typical
sandwiches and pub food.Beer: Sebago
Light Ale (from the Sebago brewpub listed later), Summer Wheat (wheat
and
malt flavors -- a nice American Wheat beer), Raspberry Wheat (made with
syrups -- tastes a little artificial), McDuff's Best Brown Ale (great
roasted
nut flavor -- more malty than most Brown Ales), Portland Head Light
Pale
Ale (dry and hoppy -- nice Cascade and Willamette hops), Cask ESB
(served
in good fashion -- not oxidized), Black Fly Stout (dry Stout with
Willamette
and Cluster hops and six different grains).

Sebago Brewpub164 Market St., Portland, ME207-775-2337Impressions:
Sebago is a smallish brewpub located in the bottom floor of an office
building
in the heart of downtown Portland, but they do have a larger brewery
just
outside downtown. Pictured to the right is head brewer (since
early
2000), Tom Abercrombie.Food:
Interesting
menu items that try to be unique.Beer: Wheat
(a bit bland and watery), Red (malty with a good nutty character),
Light
Ale (clean and malty), Boathouse Brown (light in flavor), Lake Trout
Stout
(roasty -- good Stout), Frye's Leap IPA (has mostly bittering hops
--
not many flavor or aroma hops).

Stone Coast Brewpub14 York St., Portland, ME207-773-2337Impressions:
Started in the early 1990's, this was originally called Sunday River
Brewing
Company, and there is another location of Sunday River with basically
similar
beers listed later on this website. Stone Coast does bottle some
of its beers for resale. The upstairs of the brewpub will soon be
a new restaurant with Blues and Jazz. This is a very attractive
place.Food:
Typical
brewpub menu.Beer: Oatmeal
Stout (too light color and flavor), Sunday River Alt (malty with
fruitiness
and a tiny off-flavor), Surfcaster (drab ale with little character),
420
IPA (light in color with a rich malt character and nice hops),
Knuckleball
Ale (very good English style ale -- malty without many hops), Black
Bear
Porter (chocolate character -- malty and slightly sweet -- really nice).

Allagash Microbrewery100 Industrial Way, Portland, ME207-878-5385Impressions:
The first thing you'll see when you walk into this small brewery are
the
canoes hanging from the ceiling. Allagash has a tiny gift shop up
front and offers tours if you call ahead. The brewery is in a
small
industrial park located a short drive from downtown.Food:
None.Beer: I purchased
several bottles of their beers (including some large bottles of their
new
Belgian Dubbel and Tripel), but have not tried them yet.

Great Lost Bear Beer Bar540 Forest Ave., Portland, ME207-772-0300Impressions:
Wow! This is one of the best beer bars I've ever visited.
This
huge place has loads of dining rooms and a large bar area.Food:
Wonderful
sandwiches, chili, and many vegetarian/healthy entrees.Beer: The Lost
Bear has around 70 draft beers and features local micros. You can
try any draft selection by ordering a $1.00 five ounce taster
glass.
It's fun to order several and compare styles.

Rocky Bay Microbrewery230 Park St. US Rt. 1, Rockland, ME207-596-0300Impressions:
I found this tiny microbrewery right on hwy. 1 just by accident.
Driving from Portland to Bar Harbor, this place is on the right in
Rockland.
What a cool little place! It has a gift shop and tasting room
where
all their beers can be sampled and purchased. Rocky Bay is the
one-man
operation of Rich Ruggiero (who produces some fine brews.)Food:
None.Beer: Light
Lager (nice hops, 4% alcohol, very Czech Pilsner like), Summer Ale
(light
version of a Pale Ale -- English Style like a good pub Bitter), White
Cap
IPA (great malt and hop flavors). Other beers are available based
on the season.

Sea Dog Brewpub43 Mechanic St., Camden, ME207-236-6863Impressions:
This Sea Dog location (I visited another in Bangor) is a beautiful
brewpub
perched in a small shopping complex over a river with its own waterfall
just outside the deck. There is a rustic, maritime interior to
the
place with many beer medals displayed proudly on the walls.Food:
Wonderful
sandwiches, seafood, and many imaginative entrees.Beer: IPA (popular
toffee-like beer with good malt but short on hops for my taste), Porter
(chocolate, licorice, smooth, nice), Old Golly Wobbler Brown (mild
flavor,
slightly dry), Old Baggywrinkle ESB (flavorful at cellar temperature --
ESB doesn't get much better than this one!).

Atlantic Brewing Company2810 Knox Rd., Bar Harbor, ME207-288-9513Impressions:
This great microbrewery used to be housed in the tiny Lompoc Cafe
Brewpub
in downtown Bar Harbor, but moved just outside of town to expand.
(Lompoc still has their beers and is still worth a visit.)
Atlantic
is a fantastic place to visit, tour, and spend some time in the outdoor
cafe/tavern that is open daily until 7 pm (go early).Food:
Limited
sandwiches and entrees in the tavern.Beer: I was
not prepared for the really flavorful, unique beers that Atlantic has
to
offer. Braggot (made with Maine wildflower honey with lots of
flavor
and alcohol -- incredible), SOB Special Old Bitter (hoppy, nice, spicy
hop flavor and aroma), Coal Porter (rich, dark, wonderful), Bar Harbor
Real Ale (crisp Brown Ale that is light in body and flavor -- a good
session
beer), Blueberry Ale (made with real Maine blueberries, not an
artificial
flavor -- one of the best fruit beers I've ever had), Ginger Wheat
(nice
and spicy with a terrific balance).

Bar Harbor Brewing Company31 Otter Creek Dr., Bar Harbor, ME207-288-4592Impressions:
Now this is really a MICRO-brewery -- tucked away in a couple's
barn.
They offer tours (call ahead) at times, but you can purchase their
beers
in several spots in Bar Harbor. Their fine beers are awardwinning.Food:
None.Beer: Cadillac
Mountain Stout (has won a rare platinum medal at the World Beer Cup --
very rich, malty, and chocolatey), Thunder Hole Ale (nut brown color
with
chocolate and caramel notes -- great American Brown Ale). They
have
other seasonal beers as well.

Sugarloaf BrewpubSugarloaf Ski Resort,
Carrabassett, ME207-227-2211Impressions:
If you drive NW from Bar Harbor up through the mountains, you'll find
this
homey little brewpub just outside the Sugarloaf Ski Resort. If
you
go in the summer, there will be shorter summer hours and the place will
be pretty empty except for the occasional golfer or two. I was
very
pleased with the atmosphere, food, and beer here. The place is
also
known as "Theo's."Food:
Wonderful
sandwiches, seafood, steaks, chicken, pizza, and pastas.Beer: Golden
Ale (light and fruity with decent hops), Pilsner (crisp Saaz hops),
Amber
(malty with good hop flavor), Hophead IPA (light in color with superb
hop
bitterness and flavor), Snowmaker Stout (very dry, roasty,
licorice-like
with oatmeal flavors).

Granary Brew Pub & Coffee
House23 Pleasant St., Farmington, ME207-779-0710Impressions:
Who would expect to find a huge brewpub on a small side street in the
small
town of Farmington, ME? Owners Tom and Rick have a great pub here
with a brewroom (pictured to the right) that is about the size of a
walk-in
closet. This tiny brewhouse produces a wide range of beers,
however.
There are big banquet rooms and a comfortable bar downstairs with darts.Food:
Seafood,
clam chowder, nice pub fare.Beer: Clearwater
Cream Ale (light and hoppy with a touch of vegetal off-flavor),
Blackberry
Wheat (light wheat beer with light berry flavor), Brown Ale (clean,
good
session beer), Iron Rail Pale (nice hop aroma and flavor with a hint of
DMS vegetal off-flavor again), Highland Scotch Ale (butterscotch aroma,
nice and malty, high alcohol content), IPA (nice NW hops, resiny aroma,
good beer), Oatmeal Porter (smooth with grain-like flavors, light end
of
style), Steamer Stout (wonderful Dry Stout with roasty flavors).

Sunday River Brewing Company1 Sunday River Road., Bethel, ME207-824-3541Impressions:
This is a big brewpub on hwy. 2 near the NH border. It is a
beautiful
establishment that is connected with the Stone Coast Brewpub in
Portland.Food:
Sandwiches,
BBQ, burgers, etc.Beer: See the
beer list of Stone Coast Brewpub above. Sunday River did have
some
beers that Stone Coast did not, and the beer at Sunday River seemed a
bit
cleaner and fresher.

Moat Mtn. Brewing Company3378 White Mtn. Way, N. Conway, NH603-356-6381Impressions:
This 7 bbl brewpub and smokehouse opened in N. Conway on July 2,
2000.
It is near the southern end of the White Mountain National Forest
on a very scenic drive. It is located in a gorgeous, old white house
with
brewery downstairs and lots of nice dining rooms with murals
upstairs.
There is also a small inn.Food:
BBQ sandwiches,
BBQ pizza, BBQ quesadillas, steaks, burgers.Beer: These
are some of the best beers I had in New England... HoffmanWeiss (great
wheat beer with complex German character), Golden Dog Pilsner (spicy
with
good malt and hop components), Cathedral Ledge Lager (clean and malty),
Iron Mike Pale (an almost perfect American Pale Ale), Bear Peak Brown
(light-bodied
nutty ale), Smoke House Porter (full-bodied with nice dark malt
character
-- delicious), Square Tail Stout (crisp dry stout with
character).
Coming soon -- Maibock (sorry I missed it).